Funded Projects

(SDAS) Preventive Dental Health Services for Children and Youth: National Trends, Disparities, and Expenditures

Grantee: University of Washington
Principal Investigator: Janice Bell
Project Number: R40MC17168
Project Date: 2/1/2010

Final Report

(SDAS) Preventive Dental Health Services for Children and Youth: National Trends, Disparities, and Expenditures Final Report (PDF)

Age group(s)

• Middle Childhood (6-11 years)
• Adolescence (12-18 years)
• Young Adulthood (19-25 years)

Targeted/Underserved Population

• African American
• Hispanic/Latino

Abstract

Abstract: Dental caries is the most common chronic disease among U.S. children and youth. Reducing the overall prevalence of caries and well-documented racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities are Healthy People 2010 priorities. Recommended, low-cost preventive dental services (e.g., topical fluoride and sealants) continue to be underutilized and surprisingly little large-scale research has examined their efficacy. The current study uses data collected for the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey to examine trends, disparities and expenditures associated with dental health services in a sample of n= 50,210 children, adolescents and young adults in the years 1997 - 2006. The specific aims of the study are: 1) Describe national trends and disparities in dental health service use (preventive and restorative) using cross-sectional time-series data from 1997 - 2006; 2) Test associations between recommended preventive service use (Time 1) and restorative service use and expenditures measured in the following year (Time 2); and 3) Test associations between receipt of dental sealants (Time 1) on restorative service use in the following year (Time 2) in specific age cohorts (age 8 and age 14) consistent with HP2010 objectives and MCHB national performance measures. Hypotheses are tested with a series of one and two-part regression models that control for important covariates (e.g. age, sex, race/ethnicity, SES, maternal BMI, family structure) and account for the MEPS panel survey design and complex sampling. The research addresses MCHB Strategic Issues #1 (Public health service systems and infrastructures at the community, State and/or national levels as applied to MCH populations) #2 (MCH services and systems of care efforts to eliminate health disparities) and #4 (Promoting the healthy development of MCH populations). The study's longitudinal and developmental focus relates to preventive interventions in target populations and specific timing in the life course. Study results will identify subgroups for which targeted preventive intervention strategies might be warranted (e.g. young children). Results are generalizable to a very large population - all of the nation's children, youth and young adults.

Publications

Listed is descending order by year published.

Huebner CE, Bell JF, Reed SC. Receipt of preventive oral health care by U.S. children: a population-based study of the 2005-2008 medical expenditure panel surveys. Matern Child Health J. 2013;17(9):1582-1590.

Bell JF, Huebner CE, Reed SC. Oral health need and access to dental services: evidence from the National Survey of Children's Health, 2007. Matern Child Health. 2012;16(suppl 1):27-34.

Romaire M, Bell JF, Huebner CE. Variations in children's dental service use based on four national health surveys. Pediatrics. 2012;130(5):e1182-e1189.